


Songbird Wants Her Freedom

by devilinthedetails



Series: The Dog, His Songbird, and His Urchins [7]
Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Betrayals, Entertainment, Family, Gen, Loyalty, M/M, Secrets, Songbirds, Songs, informants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 20:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15202469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Okha is a songbird who can't choose who she sings for, and Haden is not a Birdie.





	Songbird Wants Her Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Since this story is from Okha's perspective, I have her using female pronouns to refer to herself as I believe that is most consistent with how she views herself.

Songbird Wants Her Freedom

“I heard a sailor singin’ an interesting tune about ye at the Waterlily yesterday when I was tailin’ a cove for Nestor.” Haden spoke instead of drinking during a water break Okha had given him in the middle of his singing lesson to prevent his voice from going squeaky enough to make her eardrums bleed. 

“Are you gossiping or drinking?” Okha nodded at the glass in his hands. “If you aren’t thirsty, we can go back to singing.” 

Haden guzzled at his water as if to show her nosily as possible that he was indeed thirsty and drinking. Before Okha could chide him for his rudeness, he went on between gulps, “He said that you sang for Pearl.” 

“All entertainers sing for Pearl because a songbird in a cage must sing on command.” Okha didn’t bother to lie to a boy off the streets who had learned the hard way how to make the same compromises of conscience and truth that she had to survive in a world that hated women trapped like oysters in men’s shells. Curling her fingers around Haden’s chin as he set the empty water glass aside on a table that shone from Truda’s polishing, she explained the cruelties and restrictions that were the price of making a living off the pleasure of others, “We songbirds can’t choose whom we sing our tunes to, can we, Haden?” 

“I suppose not.” Haden’s brows knotted like ship’s rope. “Did ye tell Nestor ye’re singin’ for Pearl?” 

“Of course not.” Okha glared at him to impress upon him that he should also keep quiet as a clam if he valued Nestor’s life. “He’d lose his head if he knew I sing for Pearl, and I can’t have him challenging the Rogue until he has the information to destroy her.” 

“I won’t be a Birdie and sing yer secret to Nestor.” Haden gave her a cheeky grin but his tone was serious when he asked, “How’s Nestor goin’ to get the information to destroy Pearl?”

Before Okha could answer that she would get the information Nestor needed to defeat Pearl or die trying, Haden burst out, “Pearl’s no good as a Rogue. She doesn’t care about her people, just herself. Word on the streets is she never feeds them urchins that work for her, and she beats ‘em for every little mistake.” 

“When I sing for Pearl, I learn her secrets.” Okha tapped Haden’s chin in reassurance. “When I have the secret that will undo her, I’ll sing that glorious tune to Nestor, because this songbird wants her freedom.”


End file.
